Food manager vs food service manager

The differences between food managers and food service managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a food manager and a food service manager. Additionally, a food service manager has an average salary of $43,564, which is higher than the $37,654 average annual salary of a food manager.

The top three skills for a food manager include food handling, cleanliness and cash control. The most important skills for a food service manager are customer service, sanitation standards, and cleanliness.

Food manager vs food service manager overview

	Food Manager	Food Service Manager
Yearly salary	$37,654	$43,564
Hourly rate	$18.10	$20.94
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	276,643	160,740
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 42%
Average age	39	39
Years of experience	4	4

What does a food manager do?

A food manager oversees the operations at various dining establishments, ensuring efficient food services and client satisfaction. Their responsibilities typically include managing the staff, setting schedules and guidelines, establishing objectives and budgets, liaising with vendors and suppliers, delegating tasks, and developing strategies to optimize overall operations. There are also instances where they may assist customers, arrange reservations, process payments, prepare and organize documents, hire and train new members of the workforce, and resolve issues and concerns. Moreover, as a food manager, they must lead and encourage the staff to reach goals, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.

What does a food service manager do?

A food service manager's role is to oversee and supervise all operations in a restaurant or a similar setting. They are primarily responsible for ensuring customer satisfaction through optimal foodservice, an efficient workforce, and a safe and healthy environment. A food service manager must also greet customers, escort them to their tables, handle any issues and concerns, manage the employees, train new hires, manage the payroll and budget, and coordinate with all restaurant personnel. Furthermore, a food service manager must delegate tasks among employees and assign their schedules accordingly.

Food manager vs food service manager salary

Food managers and food service managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Food Manager	Food Service Manager
Average salary	$37,654	$43,564
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $57,000	Between $28,000 And $66,000
Highest paying City	Freehold, NJ	New York, NY
Highest paying state	Rhode Island	Rhode Island
Best paying company	Southern Healthcare	Kern Community College District
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Government

Differences between food manager and food service manager education

There are a few differences between a food manager and a food service manager in terms of educational background:

	Food Manager	Food Service Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 42%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Cornell University	Cornell University

Food manager vs food service manager demographics

Here are the differences between food managers' and food service managers' demographics:

	Food Manager	Food Service Manager
Average age	39	39
Gender ratio	Male, 51.9% Female, 48.1%	Male, 45.8% Female, 54.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 8.6% White, 57.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 8.5% White, 58.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between food manager and food service manager duties and responsibilities

Food manager example responsibilities.

Lead quarterly training sessions on fire safety mandate by OSHA.
Manage all food regulatory documentation ensuring accuracy and compliancy with FDA, CFIA and EFSA agencies.
Prepare, analyze reports, staff training and development, prioritization, delegation and manage all aspects of the USDA program.
Manage inventory, ordering and delivery of groceries.
Prepare and distribute payroll information for management and staff.
Conduct math skills during transactions.

Food service manager example responsibilities.

Manage all aspects of the human resources task, including hiring, training, payroll, and the negotiated contract.
Manage operations and provide support to a team of 245 union employees at various elementary, middle and high school cafeterias.
Manage inventory, ordering and delivery of groceries.
Train food & nutrition team in SERVSAFE, HACCP, knife skills and environmental safety.
Maintain all Intel, Aramark and ServSafe safety, sanitation and security guidelines.
Review and complete adequate weekly sales projections, with mastery of using POS system

Food manager vs food service manager skills

Common food manager skills

Food Handling, 13%
Cleanliness, 11%
Cash Control, 10%
Customer Satisfaction, 8%
Non, 6%
Math, 6%

Common food service manager skills

Customer Service, 27%
Sanitation Standards, 10%
Cleanliness, 7%
Patients, 6%
Kitchen Equipment, 5%
Food Handling, 4%

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Food Manager
Food Manager vs Food Service Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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